Window shade



Nov. 29, 1938. J. AQBOMBARD 2,138,441

WINDOW SHADE Filed March 3, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Joseph 6 09057721 fio/flam.

2 SheetsSheet 2 ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1938. .1. A. BOMBARD WINDOW SHADE Filed March 5, 1937 Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 3,

5 Claims.

This invention relates generally to springactuated roller shades for windows, but more specifically comprises a simple device for use in temporarily transforming the lower portion of such shade into a little awning for a partly opened window.

The basic idea of the present invention is the provision of means whereby in effect the usual shade stick at the lower end of such shade may be temporarily extended at each end far enough to engage the outer surfaces of the window casing, or building wall, adjacent thereto and thereby hold the lower end of the shade outside of the window opening after it has been so extended while in such outside position. If then one of the window sashes (usually the lower one) be moved downward sufficiently to put the shade under tension, the outwardly extending end portion of the latter will be held taut in an inclined position like an ordinary awning.

While the above outlined object can be attained by making the shade stick itself manually extensible, I prefer to effect the desired result by providing suitable friction-held attachments, one for each lower corner of a standard type of shade, each of which attachments comprises a movable member manually adjustable so as toeither extend beyond the shade border and engage said outer wall or casing surface, or be withdrawn so as to permit the shade end to be swung inside of the window and left free for use in the usual way.

The best form of apparatus at present known to me embodying my invention, together with certain modifications thereof, are shown in the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which:

Fig. l is a detail exterior view of a portion of a wooden house with a window set'therein and my invention shown in position on the shade for such window,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of said Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the preferred form of attachment for the shade shown in Fig. 1 in position.

Fig. 5 is a cross'section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the shade of shade stick in position.

Fig. 6 is a detail side view of one modification in which a swinging member is substituted for the sliding member shown in the other modifications.

Fig. '7 is a cross section on line 'l'! of Fig. 6 on a larger scale.

1937, Serial No. 128,783

Fig. 8 is a detail side view of a second modification, and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross section on line 99 of-Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail side view of a third modification showing a telescoping extension for a hollow shade stick and 1 Fig. 11 in an enlarged cross section on line IIH of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal section showing 10 one form of metal windowframe and. sash With the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 applied to the shade in said window.

Throughout the drawings like reference characters indicate like parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, 21 indicates a portion of the wall of a clapboard house, 22 a window frame set therein, 23 the lower sash of the window and 24 the lower portion of an ordinary spring-actuated roller shade mounted therein-" 25 indicates the usual window shade stick enclosed in the lower end of the shade, and 38, 35, indicate attachments for said shade made in accordance with one form of my invention.

As shown more in detail in the perspective ".25 view Fig. 4, said attachment consists of a metal rod or very stiff wire bent near the middle to form the loop 26 which will conform generally to the exterior contour of the shade stick 25, said loop connecting the ends of straight parallel por- 30 tions 21, 28, of said rod to which is attached the bent fiat metal strip 29 by means of its outwardly curled ends 30. The straight. section 21 of the rod is slightly longer than the other (28) and preferably is bent over as shown at 32 to;:35 form a stop for loose washers or loop-shaped clips, 3!, 3|, which may be slipped over the free end of rod section 28 to firmly hold the ends of the two straight sections together and also serve to engage the projecting edges of the window catsing 22 shown in broken lines in Fig. 4, if desired. When this form of apparatus is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the double rods may be slid through'the loops 30 endwise so as to have the ends 32 projecting outside of the edge of the-45 building wall and/or window casing, or said rods may be slid toward one another so as to free the lower end of the shade from engagement with the walls or window casing.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the modification in 50 which the wall orwindow casing engaging member is a swinging rod or strip 53 pivoted at 52 on a metal cap 50 adapted to be slipped over the end of the stick 25 and shade flap wrapped around the latter. 5| indicates a lug bent out 55 from the open end of cap 50 which may be grasped by the user when pushing said cap 50 into or out of operative position.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a second modification which is perhaps the simplest and least expensive embodiment of my invention in which the sliding extension for the shade stick 25 is the simple straight rod or stiff wire 40, preferably bent at one end 4| to form a stop and at the other end as indicated at 42 to form a stop and convenient lateral projection which may be grasped by the operator when pushing the rod outward or inward through the loops 45 forward which may be slipped over the end of the shadewrapped stick 25, or snapped thereon sidewise of the latter. To facilitate the last described operation one end of each of the clips 43 is extended as shown at 44, 44.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a third embodiment of the broad basic idea underlying my invention in which a special hollow metal shade stick 60 is installed in place of the ordinary wooden one, and BI is an extension member adapted to telescope into orout of said hollow shade stickfil), a laterally extending lug 62 being provided at the outer end of member 6| to prevent its being pushed too far into the hollow stick 60 and also to serve as a convenient meansfor pulling it part way outward therefrom into the operative position shown in Fig, 10.

Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal section of a stand ard form of metal window casing l2 and' sash 73 set in the masonry Wall llof a building, said frame being retained in position by the concrete or metal follower 13. In this view the general form of my invention 36 is shown in position on the lower end of the shade 24. In this construction 13 would serve as a stop for the outward movement of the sliding rod end 32.

The modes of installing and operating the various forms of my invention will be easily understood from the foregoing description. When the Window has been opened by raising the sash 23 the various sliding or swinging extensions of the shade stick are moved toward one another so that the lower end of the shade may be pushed out beyond the plane of the outer wall of the building or of the window casing and then said extensions are slid outward into the positions shown in'Figs. 1, 8 and 10, or the swinging extension 53 is dropped down into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 6 so as to hold the lower end of the shade 24 in the plane of the exterior of the building wall, and the sash is then dropped down into the position shown in Fig. 3 to put the shade under tension, thereby producing an inclined awninglike arrangement of its lower end there shown. v

The various attachments herein described can be made of various materials, such as steel, brass, bronze, etc. and plated to produce a high finish if desired. To secure the best results a special type of shade should be installed made of some material which is waterproof and also unlikely to change in color after long exposure to the direct rays of the sun. A thin, strong muslin fabric saturated and coated with some flexible waterproof enamel is preferred.

Various other changes could bemade in the special details of construction and apparatus curled back upon ually projectable beyond the end of such stick and engageable with exterior portions of the frame of the window in which such shade has been installed, or to be withdrawn flush with the end of such stick, said attaching means comprising a U-shaped spring clip adapted to be snapped over such shade stick and having one extremity loosely coiled around said rod.

2. An article such as defined in claim 1- in which said U-shaped spring clip adapted to be snapped over such shade stick has one extremity then formedextend parallel and adjacent one to another with the bent portion between them having a U-shapedv configuration adapted to be pushed over and around any stick extending along the bottom of such shade-together with, elastic means attached to and movable relatively to said straight portions and also adapted to surround and closely grasp such stick; whereby, when said parts are so mounted on the lower end of such shade, said rod may be manually adjusted with reference thereto so as to have a free end projecting beyond the side edge thereof far enough to extend outside of any window'casing in which such shade is mounted, or may be withdrawn fiush with suchedge. I w 4. An; article such asdefined ,in "claim13 in which said fastening means comprises a strip bent near the middle of its length to a U-shaped configuration adapted to enclose and grasp such shade stick and having each of its free ends curled back upon'itself around one of said straight rod portions.

5. An article such'as defined in claim 3 in which said fastening means comprises a strip bent near the middle of its length to a U-shaped configuration adapted to enclose and grasp such shade stick and having eachof its free ends itself around one ofgsaid straight rod portions while. one of said straight rod portions is slightly longer than the'other, is

bent at the end to form a stop, and isprovided with a clip adapted to slide thereon either outwardly against said step or inwardly around the free end of said other straight rod portion and so prevent the two from being separated.

' JOSEPH AUGUSTIN BOMBARD 

